Management system for game token coin

ABSTRACT

In a management system of a game token coin, one RFID tag having a data non-rewritable region and a data rewritable region is imparted to the game token coin. The location relating information of the game token coin is stored in the data rewritable region. The system includes a writer configured to additionally write the location relating information, a reader configured to read the location relating information from a plurality of the game token coins, and a management controller configure to examine the information obtained from the reader. The management controller includes a function that determines whether a history of the location relating information obtained from the reader has no abnormality.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to JP Application No.2019-028885 filed Jan. 31, 2019, the entire contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a management system for a game tokencoin that avoids the use of fraud game token coins in a gaming house,such as casinos and other game facilities where game token coins areused.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

In many table games played in gaming houses, such as casinos, there arebaccara and blackjack. In the casinos, game token coins are used forsuch games.

The use of fraud game token coins must not happen in casinos. In orderto avoid the use of fake game token coins in the casino, there is atechnique in the casino that determines whether a game token coin is afake or not with an RFID tag attached to the game token coin and avoidsthe use of fakes. RFID-attached game token coins are publicly known, andan RFID-attached game token coin is disclosed in WO2008/120749 A. It isgenerally known that the RFID tag has a memory region in which themanufacture unique information of the RFID tag itself and a memoryregion in which a user can write necessary information. In theRFID-attached game token coin, information indicating the value of thegame token coin, a serial number, and any other information are written.

Conventionally in the RFID-attached game token coin, the operation isperformed in which after necessary information is written in a memoryregion, in which the user can write information, the memory region islocked, and unauthorized rewrite is avoided. In the game token coinbased on such a previously existing technique, it is possible todetermine whether the game token coin itself is fake or not by readingRFID to specify the information written in the memory region. However,RFID fails to store information obtained on casino sites during use.Therefore, reading RFID fails to determine the presence of game tokencoins having unusual history on the point of use situations, such asgame token coins that are genuine but are not used for a longtime andgame token coins that are used or exchanged by an owner who is differentfrom its right owner, and the avoidance of the use of such game tokencoins having unusual use history in the casino fails. There is a concernthat taking advantage of such game token coins having unknown history(the history of location relating information), game token coins in thecasino may be used for crimes, including money-laundering, for example,and the solution to the concern is asked for.

Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a gametoken coin and a management system that enable additional write ofinformation on an RFID tag, allow the RFID tag of the game token coin toretain the use history of the game token coin, and enable the finding ofa fraud game token coin having unusual use history based on the writtenuse history.

In order to solve the previously existing problem, in a managementsystem for a game token coin according to the present disclosure, oneRFID tag having a data non-rewritable region and a data rewritableregion is imparted to a game token coin, the data non-rewritable regionof the RFID tag is configured to store, as constant information, atleast one of production information, product information, casinoinformation, value information, and a serial number of the game tokencoin, and the data rewritable region is configured to store, as variableinformation, location relating information (or formation about thewhereabouts) of the game token coin, in which from the constantinformation (or fixed information) stored in the data non-rewritableregion of an RFID tag, the variable information stored in the datarewritable region of the same RFID tag is extractable. The systemfurther includes a writer configured to additionally write the locationrelating information of the game token coin in the data rewritableregion, a reader configured to collectively read the constantinformation stored in the data non-rewritable region of a plurality ofthe game token coins and to read the location relating informationstored in the data rewritable region that is paired with each of theconstant information based on the read constant information, and amanagement controller configured to examine the location relatinginformation obtained from the reader. The data rewritable region storesinformation relating to a plurality of locations including at leastlatest location relating information of all sets of the locationrelating information written by the writer, and the managementcontroller includes a function that determines whether a history of thelocation relating information obtained from the reader has noabnormality, in which the management controller is configured togenerate an error signal when an abnormality is found, and themanagement controller is configured to identify the constant informationof a game token coin that is determined that an abnormality is found.

The data rewritable region is configured to store the location relatinginformation and information on time at which the writer makes a write onthe game token coin, and the management controller is configured todetermine, from the location relating information obtained from thereader, as determination whether the abnormality or not, whether thereis any event that the game token coin is not used for a predeterminedperiod or more from a previous write, or that the location relatinginformation which has to be written is not written.

In the management controller, the location relating information mayinclude at least one of information indicating a cage, informationindicating entering or leaving, and information indicating a backyard,and the event that the game token coin is not used for a predeterminedperiod or more from a previous write is any situation in which 1) latestlocation relating information is information indicating a cage, and asubsequent information write is made after an elapse of a predeterminedtime or more, 2) latest location relating information is informationindicating entering, and a subsequent information write is made after anelapse of a predetermined time or more, and 3) latest location relatinginformation is information indicating leaving, and a subsequentinformation write is made after an elapse of a predetermined time ormore. The event that the location relating information that has to bewritten is not written is any situation in which 4) when a player entersgaming house, as latest location relating information of the datarewritable region of the game token coin, information indicating leavingis not written, 5) when a game token coin is used at a cage, informationindicating a backyard is not written, and 6) when a player leaves gaminghouse, information indicating a cage or a backyard is not written.

The location relating information may include information relating to anowner who owns the game token coin.

The management controller may include a function that determines anysituation 1) or 2) as the event that is determined whether anabnormality or not based on the owner relating information obtained fromthe reader in which 1) a person who is different from a final ownerstored in the data rewritable region converts the game token coin intomoney or makes exchange of game token coins in a gaming house, or leavesgaming house, and 2) a person different from an owner in leaving storedin the data rewritable region brings in the game token coin in thegaming house.

The information relating to an owner who owns the game token coin may beidentified by face recognition or reading an ID card.

The location relating information may further include informationindicating a place of a chip tray of a specific game table, orinformation indicating a place of a bet area, or information indicatinga payment area.

The management controller may include a function that determines any ofsituations 1) to 4) as the event that is determined whether anabnormality or not based on information indicating the place of the chiptray of the game table, or information indicating the place of the betarea or a payment area obtained from the reader in which 1) a person whois different from a final owner stored in the data rewritable regionuses the game token coin at a game table, 2) a person who is differentfrom a person who purchases a game token coin at a cage converts thegame token coin into money at the cage, and the game token coin does nothave use record at a game table, 3) a game token coin having noinformation indicating a cage or a backyard is used in a gaming house,and 4) latest location relating information is information indicating abet area or a payment area, and a game token coin is converted intomoney at the cage or used at game table after a lapse of a predeterminedperiod or more.

Information that the RFID tag has may be encrypted.

The data non-rewritable region may be configured to functionally writeno data or is locked so as to allow no data write.

The reader may be configured to collectively read the constantinformation stored in the data non-rewritable region and locationrelating information stored in the data rewritable region of an RFIDtag, and the management controller may be configured to extract thelocation relating information stored in the data rewritable region ofthe same RFID tag from a plurality of sets of the constant informationof a plurality of the game token coins read by the reader and determinethe location relating information.

In order to solve the previously existing problem, a game token coinaccording to the present disclosure includes one RFID tag having a datanon-rewritable region and a data rewritable region. The datanon-rewritable region is configured to store, as constant information,at least one of production information, product information, casinoinformation, value information, and a serial number of the game tokencoin. The data rewritable region is configured to store, as variableinformation, location relating information of the game token coinwritten by a writer. The variable information stored in the datarewritable region of the RFID tag is extractable from the constantinformation stored in the data non-rewritable region of the same RFIDtag.

The game token coin may be configured in which a reader collectivelyreads the constant information stored in the data non-rewritable regionof a plurality of the game token coins, and the location relatinginformation stored in the data rewritable region is read based on theread constant information.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of theexemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the followingdetailed description of the exemplary embodiments when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative diagram of an RFID tag of a game token coinaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a recording method for data ofthe game token coin according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the outline of an overall management systemfor a game token coin according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a reader and a writer of the game token coinaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5A is an illustrative diagram showing the data structure of thegame token coin according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5B is an illustrative diagram showing the data structure of a gametoken coin according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a database according to another embodimentof the present disclosure.

FIG. 7A is a conceptual diagram showing a recording method for data ofthe game token coin according to an embodiment of the present disclosure(an example in which variable information is updated at all of the bettiming, the collecting timing, and the payment timing).

FIG. 7B is a conceptual diagram showing a recording method for data ofthe game token coin according to an embodiment of the present disclosure(an example in which variable information is updated at bet timing andcollecting timing).

FIG. 7C is a conceptual diagram showing a recording method for data ofthe game token coin according to an embodiment of the present disclosure(an example in which variable information is updated at bet timing andpayment timing).

FIG. 7D is a conceptual diagram showing a recording method for data ofthe game token coin according to an embodiment of the present disclosure(an example in which variable information is updated at collectingtiming and payment timing).

FIG. 7E is a conceptual diagram showing a recording method for data ofthe game token coin according to an embodiment of the present disclosure(an example in which variable information is updated at bet timing).

FIG. 7F is a conceptual diagram showing a recording method for data ofthe game token coin according to an embodiment of the present disclosure(an example in which variable information is updated at collectingtiming).

FIG. 7G is a conceptual diagram showing a recording method for data ofthe game token coin according to an embodiment of the present disclosure(an example in which variable information is updated at payment timing).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

First, a game token coin that is used in a management system for a gametoken coin according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will bedescribed. FIG. 1 shows a game token coin 1 that is used in themanagement system. In FIG. 1, in the game token coin 1, an RFID tag 2,on which various items of information can be stored, is embedded. TheRFID tag 2 includes a data non-rewritable region 21 and a datarewritable region 22.

In the data non-rewritable region 21, as constant information (or fixedinformation) 3, information that is not changed during the use of thegame token coin 1, or information that cannot be not changed, orinformation that does not have to be changed is stored. Morespecifically, as the constant information 3, production information,product information, casino information, value information, serialnumbers, and any other information of the game token coin 1 are stored.The production information includes a date and time when the game tokencoin is produced, a production machine, and the like. The productinformation includes information indicating a chip for the VIP area of acasino, for example, information that indicating a type of chip (e.g.,information indicating that the game token coin 1 is a rolling chip or acash chip), and any other information.

The data non-rewritable region 21 may be a region in which no data writeis functionally allowed due to the specifications of the RFID tag, ormay be a region in which necessary information is written in the regionin which a write is allowed and then the region is locked such that nodata write is allowed.

The data rewritable region 22 stores information, as variableinformation 4, that changes during the use of the game token coin 1. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 1, as the variable information 4, locationrelating information 220 is stored, including information 221 relatingto a date and time, information 222 relating to a place and an event,information 223 relating to an owner, and any other information.

The constant information 3 and the variable information 4 may beencrypted in order to avoid unauthorized information read or write by anunauthorized person. The constant information 3 and the variableinformation 4 may be stored as metadata.

FIG. 2 shows an example recording method for data of the variableinformation 4 of the game token coin 1. As shown in FIG. 2, aconfiguration is provided in which the location relating information 220compose of the date-and-time information 221, the place-and-eventinformation 222, and the owner information 223 is formed in one block,the block information is connected in a chain, and thus the history ofthe location relating information 220 of the game token coin 1 can bedetermined.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the variable information 4 stored on the gametoken coin 1, from which the movement of the game token coin 1 can bedetermined as follows. At 16:02 on Jan. 28, 2019, Player-A exchangescash for the game token coin 1 at a cage 5. At 16:15 on January 28,Player-A makes a bet at table No. 325 using the game token coin 1. At16:43 on January 28, Player-B receives the game token coin 1 asredemption money for winning a bet at table No. 325. At 17:01 on January28, Player-B leaving the casino with the game token coin 1.

The variable information 4 may be configured in which the latestinformation alone is stored as shown in FIG. 2, or may be configured inwhich all sets of the location relating information written in the pastis stored. In a plurality of sets of the location relating information,some sets of the location relation information may be selected andstored. In the case in which some sets of the location relatinginformation are selected and stored, the selected sets of the locationrelating information may include at least the latest location relatinginformation 220 among the all sets of the location relating information220. With the configuration above, from the variable information 4 of agame token coin 1, the history of use or transfer of the game token coin1 can be known. That is, a kind of traceability information of the gametoken coin 1 is written on the game token coin 1 itself, and the gametoken coin 1 has a configuration in which its history is detectable.

Next, a management system of the game token coin 1 according to thepresent embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 shows the outline of theoverall management system.

First, at a factory 6, for the game token coin 1, a writer 14 writes thevariable information 4 including information about the completion ofproduction or the factory shipment to the data rewritable region 22 ofthe RFID tag 2 as the location relating information 220.

At a backyard 7 of the casino an acceptance process of the game tokencoin 1 shipped from the factory 6 is performed. At the backyard 7, areader 13 reads the variable information 4 stored in the data rewritableregion 22 of the game token coin 1, and a management controller 15determines whether the location relating information 220 indicating thatinformation is written at the factory 6 as information that has to bewritten is written as the latest variable information 4 based on a readresult. Supposing that when no write record is available at the factory6, an error signal is generated as a game token coin that is suspectedas a fraud game token coin. Thus, the casino side rejects the acceptanceof that game token coin, or asks the factory side to make investigation.When the write record has no problem, the writer 14 writes the locationrelating information 220 indicating that the backyard in the datarewritable region 22 of the RFID tag 2. In writing, location informationindicating the backyard may be described in addition to locationinformation indicating the factory, or location information indicatingthe backyard may be described with location information indicating thefactory deleted. The read and write of the game token coin at thebackyard 7 described above may be performed in combination with thegeneral validation work or activation work of the game token coin.

The game token coin 1 on which acceptance tests are completed at thebackyard 7 is carried to a warehouse 8 or a cage 9 of the casino. In thewarehouse 8 or the cage 9, the reader 13 reads the variable information4 stored in the data rewritable region 22 of the game token coin 1, andthe management controller 15 determines whether the location relatinginformation 220 indicating that information is written at the backyard 7as information that has to be written is written as the latest variableinformation 4 based on a read result. Tests may be performed togetherwith determination whether information that indicates the factory 6 iswritten in the history of the variable information 4. Similarly to thetests at the backyard 7 as described above, the management controller 15determines whether the history of the location information has noabnormality. When the read result has no problem, the writer 14 writesthe location relating information 220 indicating the warehouse 8 or thecage 9 in the data rewritable region 22.

A player exchanges cash for the game token coin 1 at the cage 9. Whenthe player purchases a game token coin 1, the writer 14 at the cage 9writes information indicating time at which the game token coin ispurchased and information indicating that the owner of the game tokencoin is changed from the casino to a customer as the variableinformation 4. A configuration may be provided in which the player isidentified and recorded by a face recognition technique, or an ID card,such as a member's card of the casino, or an Individual Number Card.

The player makes a bet by placing the game token coin 1 on a bet area 11of a game table using the purchased game token coin 1. The reader 13reads the location relating information 220 composed of thedate-and-time information 221, the place-and-event information 222, andthe owner information 223 from the RFID tag 2 of the bet game token coin1, and the management controller 15 determines whether the locationrelating information 220 has no abnormality. For example, the managementcontroller 15 can determine an abnormality in the case in which acertain period has elapsed from use information on the game table orfrom the date and time on conversion information at the cage, which arelastly written, or in the case in which the owner information 223 storedon the game token coin 1 is different from the owner information 223identified by face recognition or an ID card.

In the case in which the read result has no problem, the writer 14additionally writes the location relating information 220 in the datarewritable region 22 of the bet game token coin 1. The location relatinginformation 220 includes the date-and-time information 221, theplace-and-event information 222, and the owner information 223. At thetable, the writer 14 writes the variable information 4 includinginformation on a player position number of the game token coin 1 placedand a player, for example. The information on the player may beidentified by an ID card or face recognition. Generally, since aplurality of game token coins 1 is stacked and placed in the bet area11, the game token coins 1 are collectively written in the stackedstate.

When the player brings out the game token coin 1 from the casino floor,a leaving process is performed at a gate 10. In leaving, the reader 13reads the location relating information 220, and the managementcontroller 15 determines whether the variable information 4 has noabnormality. At the gate 10, the writer 14 writes the variableinformation 4 including the place-and-event information 222 indicatingleaving and the owner information 223.

When a player enters the casino floor, in the case in which the playerbrings in a game token coin 1 having been brought out from the casinofloor, the reader 13 reads the location relating information 220, andthe management controller 15 determines whether the variable information4 has no abnormality. For example, for the game token coin 1 that hasbeen once brought out from the casino, in the case in which the ownerwhen leaving the casino is different from the owner when entering thecasino, it can be determined that there has been the act of transfer thegame token coin outside the casino.

In the case in which the determination based on the read result by thereader 13 is abnormal, the management controller 15 described above mayoutput an alarm to the cage 9 or the gate 10. When the owner of the gametoken coin 1 converts the game token coin 1 into money at the cage 9 orthe game token coin 1 leaves the gate 10, the conversion of the gametoken coin 1 into money can be refused or the owner can be checkedseparately, based on the alarm outputted from the management controller15. In the case in which the determined result is abnormal, themanagement controller 15 may determine a response, such as sending awarning to dealers at the game tables to interrupt games, sending awarning to a pit where a manager determines whether to interrupt orcontinue games, for example, or the game token coin 1 is exchanged.Alternatively, a configuration may be provided in which the managementcontroller 15 is connected to a total management controller 18 of thecasino and the management controller 15 sends a warning to the totalmanagement controller 18.

Similarly, when the game token coin 1 is converted into money at thecage, the reader 13 may read the variable information 4, and themanagement controller 15 may determine an abnormality. Morespecifically, the management controller 15 may determine an abnormality,in the case in which a certain period has elapsed from use informationon the game table or from the date and time on conversion information atthe cage, which are lastly written, or in the case in which a person whois different from the owner information 223 stored on the game tokencoin 1 is to convert the game token coin 1 into money, for example. Inthe case in which an abnormality is determined, the managementcontroller 15 may output a warning and refuse the conversion of the gametoken coin 1 whose abnormality is determined into money.

In the description above, an non-limiting example embodiment isdescribed in which the reader 13 reads information, the managementcontroller 15 makes determination, and then the writer 14 writesinformation. However, a configuration may be provided in whichinformation is simultaneously read and written.

In the following, the detail of an embodiment to which the presentdisclosure is applied.

At the factory 6, in the completion of production or in shipment, theRFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written. The productioninformation or product information is written as the constantinformation 3, the RFID tag 2 is locked as necessary so as not to berewritten, and the variable information 4 is written.

At the backyard 7, the game token coin 1 shipped from the factory 6 isaccepted, and the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written whenthe game token coin 1 is activated as a usable game token coin 1.

At the warehouse 8, the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and writtenwhen the game token coin 1 is transferred from the warehouse 8 to thecage 9 or the game token coin 1 is transferred from the cage 9 to thewarehouse 8. Alternatively, to the game token coin 1 kept in custody atthe warehouse 8, the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written atcertain time intervals, or a predetermined timing.

At the cage 9, the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written inthe transfer from or to the warehouse 8 and in the conversion of thegame token coin 1 into money. In the case in which the game token coin 1is converted into money at the cage 9, the place-and-event information222 indicating conversion into money and information on a player whoconverts the game token coin 1 into money is written on the variableinformation 4 as the owner information 223. The owner information 223can be acquired from the casino ID card of the player, a facerecognition the system, a credit card, and any other device.

At the gate 10, the RFID tag 2 is read, written, or read and written,when the player leaves the casino. To all the game token coins 1 broughtout from the casino when the player leaves the casino, theplace-and-event information 222 indicating the game token coins 1 beingbrought out and the owner information 223 indicating the player whobrings out the game token coins 1 are written as the variableinformation 4 for registration. Also when the player enters the casino,the place-and-event information 222 indicating the game token coins 1being brought in and the owner information 223 indicating the player whobrings in the game token coins 1 are similarly written as the variableinformation 4, and the game token coins 1 are registered.

In the bet area 11, the RFID tag 2 of the game token coin 1 placed inthe bet area 11 by the player who joins betting is read, written, orread and written. The RFID tag 2 of the game token coin 2 placed by thedealer in the bet area 11 as redemption money for the player is read,written, or read and written.

At a chip tray 12, the RFID tag 2 of the game token coin 1 collected andkept in the chip tray and the game token coin 1 kept on the chip tray isread, written, or read and written to.

The game table may further include a payment area, in which the RFID tag2 the game token coin 1 placed therein by the dealer for redemptionmoney for the player may be read, written, or read and written.

As described above, at the game table, the variable information 4 (i.e.,the location relating information 220) can be updated at timing at whichthe game token coin 1 is bet (bet timing), timing at which the gametoken coin 1 is collected by the dealer (collecting timing), and timingat which the dealer pays the game token coin 1 to the player (paymenttiming). The variable information 4 may be updated at all the bettiming, the collecting timing, and the payment timing, or the variableinformation 4 may be updated at a part of these timings.

FIG. 7A shows an example in which the variable information 4 is updatedat all the bet timing, the collecting timing, and the payment timing.The variable information 4 is updated at these timings, and the movementof the game token coin 1 can be determined as follows. At 16:27 on Jan.28, 2019, Player-C exchanges cash for a game token coin 1 at the cage 5(Update U701). At 16:35 on January 28, Player-C bets the game token coin1 at player position No. 1 at table No. 321 (Update U702). Player-Closes the game, and at 16:38 on January 28, the game token coin 1 iscollected on the chip tray 12 (Update U703). After that, Player-D winsthe game at player position No. 3 at table No. 321, and at 16:52 onJanuary 28, the dealer pays the game token coin 1 to Player-D (UpdateU704).

According to this example, first, since information on the dealer andany player can be written as the owner information 223 in the variableinformation 4, the history of the owners can be accurately determined.Specifically, according to the present example, the state can beachieved in which the actual owner is matched with information on theowner all the time. Note that in the betting state, the ownerinformation 223 may be information on the player who makes a bet, notchanged, or may be information indicating that a bet is made.

FIG. 7B shows an example in which the variable information 4 is updatedat the bet timing and the collecting timing. The variable information 4is updated at these timings, and the movement of the game token coin 1can be determined as follows. At 16:28 on Jan. 28, 2019, Player-Eexchanges cash for a game token coin 1 at the cage 5 (Update U705). At16:36 on January 28, Player-E bets the game token coin 1 at playerposition No. 2 at table No. 322 (Update U706). Player-E loses the game,and at 16:39 on January 28, the game token coin 1 is collected on thechip tray 12 (Update U707). The game token coin 1 is paid from the chiptray 12 to Player-F who wins the game, and at 16:53 on January 28,Player-F bets the game token coin 1 at player position No. 4 at tableNo. 322 (Update U708).

According to this example, it can be determined which player the gametoken coin 1 on the chip tray 12 (i.e., owned by the casino) iscollected from. In addition, it can be determined that the casino surelycollects the game token coin 1 from the player.

FIG. 7C shows an example in which the variable information 4 is updatedat the bet timing and the payment timing. The variable information 4 isupdated at these timings, and the movement of the game token coin 1 canbe determined as follows. At 16:29 on Jan. 28, 2019, Player-G exchangescash for a game token coin 1 at the cage 5 (Update U709). At 16:37 onJanuary 28, Player-G bets the game token coin 1 at player position No. 3at table No. 323 (Update U710). After Player-G loses the game and thegame token coin 1 is collected on the chip tray 12, at 16:53 on January28, the dealer pays the game token coin 1 to Player-H who wins the gameat player position No. 5 at table No. 323 (Update U711).

According to this example, the betting by the players and the payment(redemption) to the players can be determined. For example, in the casein which after the betting by Player-G, Player-H makes a bet withoutpayment to Player-H, it can be determined that the game token coin isdirectly delivered from Player-G to Player-H.

FIG. 7D shows an example in which the variable information 4 is updatedat the collecting timing and the payment timing. The variableinformation 4 is updated at these timings, and the movement of the gametoken coin 1 can be determined as follows. At 16:29 on Jan. 28, 2019,Player-I exchanges cash for a game token coin 1 at the cage 5 (UpdateU712). As a result that Player-I bets the game token coin 1 at playerposition No. 4 at table No. 324, Player-I loses the game, and at 16:40on January 28, the game token coin 1 is collected on the chip tray 12(Update U713). At 16:54 on January 28, the dealer pays the game tokencoin 1 to Player-J who wins the game at player position No. 6 at tableNo. 324 (Update U714).

Also according to this example, since information on the dealer and anyplayer can be written as the owner information 223 in the variableinformation 4, the history of the owners can be accurately determined.Specifically, according to the present example, the state can beachieved in which the actual owner is matched with information on theowner all the time.

FIG. 7E shows an example in which the variable information 4 is updatedat the bet timing. The variable information 4 is updated at the bettiming, and the movement of the game token coin 1 can be determined asfollows. At 16:30 on Jan. 28, 2019, Player-K exchanges cash for a gametoken coin 1 at the cage 5 (Update U715). At 16:38 on January 28,Player-K bets the game token coin 1 at player position No. 5 at tableNo. 325 (Update U716). After Player-K loses the game and the game tokencoin 1 is collected on the chip tray 12, Player-L at player position No.1 at table No. 325 wins the game and receives the payment of the gametoken coin 1. After that, at 16:50 on January 28, Player-L bets the gametoken coin 1 at player position No. 1 at table No. 325 (Update U717).After Player-L wins the game and collects the game token coin 1 tohimself, at 16:59 on January 28, Player-L bets the game token coin 1 atplayer position No. 1 at table No. 325 (Update U718).

According to this example, how the players who own the game token coin 1are transitioned via the chip tray 12 can be determined. It can bedetermined that the game token coin 1 is actually bet. Thus, it can beconfirmed that the game token coin 1 is not used for money-laundering.

FIG. 7F shows an example in which the variable information 4 is updatedat the collecting timing. The variable information 4 is updated at thecollecting timing, and the movement of the game token coin 1 can bedetermined as follows. At 16:28 on Jan. 28, 2019, Player-M exchangescash for a game token coin 1 at the cage 5 (Update U719). Player-M betsthe game token coin 1 at player position No. 6 at table No. 326 andloses the game, and at 16:39 on January 28, the game token coin 1 iscollected on the chip tray 12 (Update U720). After that, Player-N winsthe game at player position No. 2 at table No. 326, and receives thepayment of the game token coin 1. Player-N bets the game token coin 1 onthe subsequent game at player position No. 2 at table No. 326, and losesthe game. At 16:59 on January 28, the game token coin 1 is collected onthe chip tray 12 (Update U721).

According to this example, it can be known which game table the gametoken coin 1 is used at and when the game token coin 1 is used. In thecase in which a fraud is suspected, video on the suspicious game tablecan be checked on suspicious hours, and it can be confirmed that thegame token coin 1 is not used for money-laundering.

FIG. 7G shows an example in which the variable information 4 is updatedat the payment timing. The variable information 4 is updated at thepayment timing, and the movement of the game token coin 1 can bedetermined as follows. At 16:29 on Jan. 28, 2019, Player-O receives thepayment of a game token coin 1 at a set at player position No. 7 attable No. 327 (Update U722). After that, Player-O bets the game tokencoin 1 and loses the game at table No. 327, and the game token coin 1 iscollected on the chip tray 12. After that, Player-P wins the game atplayer position No. 3 at table No. 327. At 16:43 on January 28, thedealer pays the game token coin 1 to Player-P (Update U723).

According to this example, it can be determined which game table thegame token coin 1 owed by the player is paid at. Thus, it is known thatthe game token coin 1 is not stolen from the chip tray, and it can beconfirmed that the game token coin 1 is not used for money-laundering.

As described above, in the management system according to the presentembodiment, at the game table, the variable information 4 (i.e., thelocation relating information 220) is updated at least any one timing ofthe bet timing, the collecting timing, and the payment timing.

Note that in the example, the update of the variable information 4 atthe collecting timing may be performed in the bet area, or may beperformed on the chip tray. In the operation of baccara games, the betchip of the player who loses the game is first collected, and thenpayment is made to the player who wins the game. Thus, time for updatingthe variable information 4 in the bet area can be reserved forrelatively long time for the game token coin 1 owed by the player whowins the game, and the variable information 4 can be relatively reliablyupdated also in the bet area.

On the other hand, in regard to the game token coin 1 that has to becollected, time for which the game token coin 1 is present in the betarea is relatively short from the time at which the collection isdetermined (the game result is determined) to the time at which the gametoken coin 1 is actually collected. Thus, when it is desired to updatethe variable information 4 in the bet area, the update may not befinished. Therefore, in regard to the game token coin 1 to be collected,it is favorable to rewrite the variable information 4 in the chip trayas a collection destination.

The management controller 15 has a function that determines whether thelocation relating information 220 obtained from the read result by thereader 13 at places has no abnormality. For determination of anabnormality, determination can be made whether there is any event thatthe game token coin 1 is not used for a predetermined period or morefrom the previous write or that the location relating information whichhas to be written is not written.

The event that the game token coin 1 is not used for a predeterminedperiod or more from the previous write is any situation in which: 1)latest location relating information is information indicating the cage9, and the subsequent information write is made after an elapse of apredetermined time or more, 2) the latest location relating informationis information indicating entering at the gate 10, and the subsequentinformation write is made after an elapse of a predetermined time ormore, and 3) the latest location relating information is informationindicating leaving the gate 10, and the subsequent information write ismade after an elapse of a predetermined time or more.

The event that the location relating information which has to be writtenis not written is any situation in which: 4) when a player enters thegaming house, as latest location relating information on the datarewritable region 22 of the game token coin 1, information indicatingleaving the gate 10 is not written, 5) when the game token coin 1 isused at the cage 9, information indicating the backyard 7 is notwritten, and 6) when a player leaves the gaming house, informationindicating the cage 9 or the backyard 7 is not written.

The management controller 15 can determine any situation as the eventthat is determined as an abnormality based on the owner relatinginformation 223 obtained from the reader 13 in which: 1) a persondifferent from the final owner stored in the data rewritable region 22converts the game token coin 1 into money in the gaming house, or makesexchange of game token coins, or leaves the gaming house, and 2) aperson different from the owner in leaving stored in the data rewritableregion 22 brings in the game token coin in the gaming house.

The management controller 15 determines any of situations 1) to 4) asthe event that is determined as an abnormality based on informationobtained from the reader 13 indicating information indicating the placeof the bet area 11 or information indicating the place of the chip tray12 or the payment area, in which: 1) a person different from the finalowner stored in the data rewritable region 22 uses the game token coin 1at the game table, 2) a person different from a person who purchases agame token coin 1 at the cage 9 converts the game token coin 1 having nouse record at the game table into money at the cage 9, 3) a game tokencoin 1 that does not have information indicating the cage 9 or thebackyard 7 is used in the gaming house, and 4) the latest locationrelating information is information indicating the bet area 11 or thepayment area, and the game token coin 1 is converted into money at thecage 9 or used at the game table after a lapse of a predetermined periodor more.

FIG. 6 shows a database according to another embodiment of the presentdisclosure. In addition to an RFID tag of a game token coin 1 whichstores the constant information 3 and the variable information 4, themanagement system includes a database 17 that records a similar constantinformation 3 and variable information 4. A management controller 15 canrecord information on the database 17 based on a read result by a reader13, can check the constant information 3 and the variable information 4stored the RFID tag the game token coin 1 against information of thedatabase, and can determine an abnormality.

In the RFID tag 2 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure,the region in which data is functionally non-rewritable in the datanon-rewritable region 21 may be a TID. The region in which necessaryinformation is written in the data non-rewritable region 21 and then theregion is locked so as not to allow data write may be an EPC or a userregion. The data rewritable region 22 may be an EPC or a user region.

The forms of the reader 13 and the writer 14 may be changed depending onplaces. For example, at the factory 6, the forms of the reader 13 andthe writer 14 may be in a stage shape shown in FIG. 4, at the gate 10,the forms of the reader 13 and the writer 14 may be in a box shape, andin the bet area 11 or on the chip tray 12, the bet area 11 or the chiptray 12 itself may include functions of the reader 13 and the writer 14.The game token coin 1 may be stacked as they are, or the game token coin1 may be read and written in the state in which the game token coin 1 ishoused in a chip case, for example. The reader 13 and the writer 14 maybe integrated with each other.

In the embodiments above, the case is described in which the game tokencoin has one RFID tag, and the one RFID tag has a data non-writableregion and a data rewritable region. To this, a form can also be thoughtin which two RFID tags are placed in a game token coin, one RFID tagstores constant information and then locked so as not to allow datawrite and the other RFID tag allows data rewrite in order to recordvariable information.

However in this case, in the case in which a plurality of game tokencoins is collectively read, the information group of the constantinformation 3 and the information group of the variable information 4are separately read as shown in FIG. 5A. Thus, a problem arises that thedetermination of a combination of the constant information and variableinformation of a certain game token coin fails and the identification ofa game token coin having an abnormality on variable information fails.

To this, as shown in FIG. 5B, in the case in which one RFID tag isavailable, the corresponding relationship between the constantinformation and the variable information read by the reader can bedetermined even in the case in which a plurality of game token coins iscollectively read. Thus, it is thought that the game token coin isembodied using one RFID tag, which is more excellent.

Generally, the RFID tag having a larger diameter more improves readaccuracy. Thus, in the case in which a game token coin includes an RFIDtag, the RFID tag desirably has a size having a diameter that is atleast the radius of the game token coin or more. Therefore, two RFIDtags are included in a game token coin to reduce the diameter of eachRFID tag, which is not preferable. Since the inclusion of two RFID tagsincreases the number of RFID tags to be read, this leads to a slowedread rate when a plurality of game token coins is read.

From the points above, it is thought that the game token coin is moreeffectively embodied using one RFID tag.

What is claimed is:
 1. A management system for a plurality of game tokencoins that each includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) tagthat has (a) a non-rewritable data region configured to store, asconstant information, at least one of production information, productinformation, casino information, value information, and a serial numberof the game token coin, and (b) a rewritable data region configured tostore, as variable information, location related information of the gametoken coin that is extractable from the constant information stored inthe non-rewritable data region of the RFID tag, the system comprising: awriter; a reader; and a management controller; wherein: the writer isconfigured to write the respective location related information of thegame token coins to the respective data rewritable regions of the gametoken coins; the data rewritable regions are each configured to store aplurality of sets of the location related information relating to aplurality of locations, including at least a latest of the sets oflocation related information of the respective game token coin writtenby the writer to the respective data rewritable region of the respectivegame token coin; the reader is configured to: collectively read theconstant information stored in the data non-rewritable regions of theplurality of game token coins; and based on the read constantinformation, read the respective location related information stored inthe data rewritable regions that are respectively paired with each ofthe constant information; and the management controller configured to,for each of one or more of the game token coins: determine presence ofan abnormality based on a history of the location related information ofthe respective game token coin; generate an error signal in response topresence of the determination of the presence of the abnormality; andidentify the constant information of the game token coin thatcorresponds to the abnormality.
 2. The management system according toclaim 1, wherein: the data rewritable region is configured toadditionally store information on time at which the writer writes to thegame token coin; and the management controller is configured todetermine, as the abnormality, passage of at least a predeterminedperiod of time from a latest write of the location related informationto the data rewritable region of the respective game token coin.
 3. Themanagement system according to claim 1, wherein: the location relatedinformation includes at least one of information indicating a cage,information indicating an entry or exit, and information indicating abackyard; the data rewritable region is configured to additionally storeinformation on time at which the writer writes to the game token coin;the management controller is configured to determine, as theabnormality, passage of at least a predetermined period of time from apredefined write event of the location related information to the datarewritable region of the respective game token coin without any furtherlocation related information being written to the data rewritable regionof the respective game token coin; and the predefined event is any of anevent group that consists of one or more of the following: (1) a writingof the information indicating the cage to the data rewritable region;(2) a writing of the information indicating the entry; and (3) a writingof the information indicating the exit.
 4. The management systemaccording to claim 1, wherein: the data rewritable region is configuredto additionally store information on time at which the writer writes tothe game token coin; and the management controller is configured todetermine, as the abnormality, a failure of new location relatedinformation to be written to the data rewritable region of the gametoken coin upon occurrence of a predefined event.
 5. The managementsystem according to claim 4, wherein the location related informationincludes at least one of information indicating a cage, informationindicating an entry or exit, and information indicating a backyard; thedata rewritable region is configured to additionally store informationon time at which the writer writes to the game token coin; themanagement controller is configured to determine, as the abnormality, awriting failure; the writing failure is any of a group consisting of oneor more of the following: (1) after an entry of a player into a gaminghouse indicated in a latest written location related information, afailure to write further location related information indicating an exitof the player from the gaming house; (2) after a use of the game tokencoin at a cage indicated in the latest written location relatedinformation, a failure to write further location related informationindicating a backyard; and (3) after an exit of a player from the gaminghouse indicated in the latest written location related information, afailure to write further location related information indicating a cageor a backyard.
 6. The management system according to claim 1, whereinthe location related information includes information relating to anowner who owns the game token coin.
 7. The management system accordingto claim 6, wherein: the management controller is configured todetermine, as the abnormality based on the information relating to theowner, occurrence of a predefined event; and the predefined event is anyof an event group consisting of one or both of the following: (1) aperson different from a final owner stored in the data rewritable region(a) converts the game token coin into money, (b) conducts an exchange,using the game token coin, in a gaming house, and/or (c) leaves thegaming house with the game token coin; and (2) a person different froman owner indicated in the location related information of the game tokencoin upon an exit from the gaming house brings the game token coin intothe gaming house.
 8. The management system according to claim 6, whereinthe information relating to the owner is identified by face recognitionor by reading an identification (ID) card.
 9. The management systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the location related information includes:information indicating a place of a chip tray of a specific game table;information indicating a place of a bet area; or information indicatinga payment area.
 10. The management system according to claim 9, whereinthe management controller is configured to determine, as theabnormality, occurrence of a predefined event of any of an event groupthat consists of one or more of the following: (1) a person who isdifferent from a final owner stored in the data rewritable region usesthe game token coin at a game table; (2) a person who is different froma person who purchases the game token coin at a cage converts the gametoken coin into money at the cage, without there being any recordindicating use of the game token coin at a game table; (3) a game tokencoin having no location related information indicating a cage or abackyard is used in a gaming house; and (4) a latest location relatedinformation of the game token coin is information indicating a bet areaor a payment area, and the game token coin is not converted into moneyat the cage or used at the game table until after lapse of at least apredetermined period of time from a time of the latest location relatedinformation.
 11. The management system according to claim 1, wherein atleast some of the information on the RFID tag is encrypted.
 12. Themanagement system according to claim 1, wherein the non-rewritable dataregion is configured without a data write functionality or is locked toprevent data writes.
 13. The management system according to claim 1,wherein: the reader is configured to collectively read the constantinformation stored in the non-rewritable data region and the locationrelated information stored in the rewritable data region of an RFID tag;and the management controller is configured to, for each of theplurality of game token coins, extract and determine the locationrelated information stored in the rewritable data region of the RFID tagof the respective game token coin from the constant information of therespective game token coins read by the reader.
 14. A game token cointhat is used in the management system according to claim
 1. 15. A readerfor a game token coin used in the management system according toclaim
 1. 16. A game token coin comprising a radio frequencyidentification (RFID) tag that includes a non-rewritable data region anda rewritable data region, wherein: the non-rewritable data region isconfigured to store, as constant information, at least one of productioninformation, product information, casino information, value information,and a serial number of the game token coin; the rewritable data regionis configured to store, as variable information, location relatedinformation of the game token coin written by a writer; and the variableinformation stored in the rewritable data region of the RFID tag isextractable from the constant information stored in the non-rewritabledata region of the RFID tag.
 17. The game token coin according to claim16, wherein the game token coin is configured such that the locationrelated information stored in the rewritable data region is readablebased on the constant information in association with the game tokencoin, even when a reader collectively reads the constant informationstored in the data non-rewritable region of the game token coin alongwith constant information stored in a data non-rewritable regions of oneor more other game token coins.